It's has been the subject of some scholarly work over the years, most notably a 1992 paper titled “Safe Treyf: New York Jews and Chinese Food” published by Gaye Tuchman and Harry G. Levine in the Journal of Contemporary Ethnography.

“Over the years, New York Jews have found in Chinese restaurant food a flexible open symbol, a kind of blank screen on which they have projected a series of themes relating to their identity as modern Jews and as New Yorkers,” Levine and Tuchman wrote.

For those of us who don't celebrate Christmas (and for those who do, but are bored by the typical yuletide fare) here are some recommended sit-down Chinese restaurants in Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Morris and Passaic counties which will be seating guests Dec. 25.

Reservations, especially for large parties, were recommended by restaurant staff.